Babylon 5 : No Middle Ground
by Echos11
Summary: The year is 2266- The place is Babylon 5. The Abbai and the Yolu are at each other’s throats, threatening war and Freelance Telepath Emma Endawi is targeted by remanants of the Psi Corps and President Clarke’s regime.
1. Corwin

Babylon 5: No Middle Ground.

Cast

Captain Elizabeth Lochley – Commanding Officer

Lt. Commander David Corwin – Second Officer

Zack Allan – Head of Station Security

Dr. Lillian Hobbs – MedLab Chief of Staff

Ambassador Ta'Lon – Narn Ambassador

Ambassador Vir Coto – Centauri Ambassador

Ambassador Follen – Minbari Ambassador

Emma Endawi- Freelance Commerical Telepath

NB: I have not seen any Crusade or read any of the books- so I don't know anything about the Telepath War, so please forgive me if I screw up. This is set in 2366- roughly one year before the Drakh attack on Earth (I have seen "A Call to Arms").

Chapter One

_Personal Journal: Lt. Commander David Corwin,_

_March 18th 2266._

"_It's been a hectic week for the station. Captain Lochley has been dealing with several complaints from alliance worlds regarding everything and nothing at the same time. President Sheridan, although long gone, is making his presence felt, as he has just ordered more White Star ships to guard the station. Recent tensions between the Abbai and the Yollu have spilled out into a border skirmish on Corran II, near the St. Andreas nebula. We are taking on refugees from the Abbai- and that's only going to cause evenmoreproblems for an already snowed under Zack._

David watched from the Fresh Air restaurant as Captain Lochley and Zack Allan were ruthlessly pursued by the representatives from the Yollu delegation. He did feel sorry for the unfortunate pair, but he did allow himself to be glad that it wasn't himself being stalked. Looking back down at his meal, he sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. He hadn't slept for several days and he was becoming known as 'The Second Ivanova'- purely he was becoming more and more pessimistic by the day. He didn't mind being compared to the attractive former First Officer of the station, after all she was now a well respected Commanding Officer of the _EAS Warlock_.

The Lieutenant Commander was about to take a bite from his meal- an old Earth delicacy known as 'Fish & Chips' when his 'link went off. "I never get a moments peace on this dammed station." He snapped to himself. Tapping the link, bringing the link to his mouth he said, as calm as he was, "Corwin. Go." He allowed a small smile, remembering his old CO- Sheridan had often used that phrase.

"_Sir, a transport has just come through the gates. Its design registered as an Abbai transport, but we cannot find a record of in the Alliance database .It's also heavily damaged and is just drifting just clear of the gate."_ The voice of 2nd Lieutenant Anna Alexander said. Corwin gritted his teeth as he got to his feet, leaving his untouched meal.

"I'm on my way. Have Alpha One launch and bring the ship into the barn." Corwin said, waving goodbye to the restaurant's bewildered manager. "Don't inform the Captain, she's being hunted like a wild dog by the Abbai and the Yollu."

"_Understood, sir."_ Tapping his link, Corwin sighed and headed down through the Zocalo. Even though she wasn't at the foot of galactic politics and great wars fought between ancient races anymore, Babylon 5 still never got a moment's rest and if B5 didn't, then David sure as hell wasn't getting any.

(The Zocalo)

Freelance Telepath, Emma Endawi watched as Lt. Commander Corwin moved through the crowds. His thoughts were pretty much those of someone royally ticked off and she was having a hard time keeping his thoughts from her mind. She might not have been Psi Corps anymore; but they did really have some good ideas- and not scanning 'mundanes' was one of them. Idly itching the back of her neck, Emma knew that the Executive Officer's annoyance was due to the tensions between the Yollu and the Abbai. It had been tense around B5 for a while since tensions began to build between the two members of the Interstellar Alliance and she had been called on by both sides to gain the upper hand on the other. She had, of course, refused both of them, abiding by the unspoken, but clear wishes of Captain Lochley. She was so lost in her own thoughts and trying to fend off Corwin's that she did not notice that she was heading straight for Ambassador Ta'Lon.

She only realised that she was about to smack into the imposing Narn when he stopped her. Looking up she blushed, "Sorry Ambassador. Lt. Commander Corwin was broadcasting his annoyance at full volume. I was trying to keep him out."

"That is understandable Ms. Endawi." The quiet Narn Ambassador said. "I could to, tell that the Lieutenant Commander was as the Captain would say 'Royally ticked off'. I assume the situation with the Abbai has not diminished while I was on Narn?"

"No." Emma said, shaking her head, "Anything but. There was an attack on the Abbai at Corran II a few days ago and both sides want me to gain the upper hand on each other. Why me, I don't know, both of them have telepaths." She sighed, "Sometimes, I'm jealous of you Narns. Not having any telepaths."

"And vice versa, Ms. Endawi." Ta'Lon said, "G'Kar often spoke of the troubles in the Ka'Rhi over the non exsistance of any Narn telepaths."

"I can understand that, oddly enough. Don't ask me why, I just can." Emma said with a smile. "Well, if you'll excuse me, I have a meeting to go to. XenoCorps needs me to oversee some sort of meeting. Good day Ambassador." Ta'Lon nodded kindly as Emma wound her way through the crowds, she smiled. Narn's were a mystery.


	2. Planning Ahead

Chapter Two: Planning Ahead

(Captain Lochley's Office)

"Argh!" Elizabeth Lochley threw her hands into the air and collapsed into her chair. Burying her face into her hands, she growled again and felt a wave of self-loathing wash over her, _how could I have been so stupid to listen to Sheridan? Why did I have to accept this god dammed assignment_ she thought to herself. Taking her head out of her hands, she saw her new 'love bat' that Lt. Cmdr had brought for her recent birthday and smiled. Reaching for it, she tapped it against the table,

"_I love you."_ It said and she smiled. Tapping it again the computerized voice said, _"I want you."_ The woman, slightly stunned, looked at the bat and frowned, puzzled. It hadn't said that before.

_Actually, come to think of it, I don't think I've used it before._ She thought and grinned at her own forgetfulness. She put the down and picked up a datapad. It was early in the day and she found she had several meetings scheduled for the day ahead. She found herself particularly dreading the meeting scheduled for 1400- another meeting with the Yollu, who were presumably hopping mad that Lochley had allowed a group of Abbai refugees onto the station. Tapping her link, she brought her hand upto her mouth and said, "Lochley to Corwin."

"_Go ahead Captain."_ The man responded presently.

"Lieutenant Commander, I need you to cancel my appointment with the Yollu delegation at 1400." She said with a mischievous grin "I would do it myself, but I don't want to end up in a thousand little pieces and your, ah, charm shall we say, will lessen the blow. Say I have an appointment with Vir or something."

"_Yes Captain. I'll get on it right away."_ Corwin's voice with dripping with dread as he signed off. She liked David, he was a good officer, like his father and his grandfather before that, but he was still naive in many ways and she wanted to help him overcome that.

She continued to look down the list of appointment and other such crap she had to put up with various people to see, she had for once, a fairly quiet evening ahead of her. Maybe she'd by a bottle of wine at lunch for the evening and maybe, she'd invite Dr. Hobbes over. She liked the English Doctor and had been sharing some friendly banter with Franklin's replacement. They both deserved a night off after all. Lochley knew that the Doctor hadn't stopped working since the crisis began last week and the woman was looking more and more haggard every time she stopped by MedLab One. She tapped her link again, "Lochley to MedLab."

"_MedLab here. Go ahead Captain."_ Hobbes responded, sounding tired and run into the ground.

"I know your busy Lillian, so I'll make this quick." Lochley said without preamble, "How would you like to take the evening off tonight. I've got it off and I was wondering if you'd like to keep me company."

"_I don't know, Captain"_ Hobbes said hesitantly, _"We've got a massive backlog here and I need to sort through it. Maybe another night."_ The woman's voice was filled with regret.

"Come on, Doctor. Leave that to the others, they are perfectly competent at what they do." Lochley said, almost pleading, "I think I'll need to see a friendly and understanding face when I finish."

"_Oh, all right then. I'll meet at your quarters at, what Nineteen-Hundred?"_ the woman responded and Lochley smiled.

"See you then, Doctor Lochley out." She smiled once more and knew that she would get through the day now she had an evening with a friend to look forward to.

(Security Office)

Zack Allan paced the room, all the while watching the camera monitors from across the station. He breathed out, and continued to pace. _Why can't this place ever be quiet?_ He groaned mentally. _Last month it was the thieves guild, this month the Yollu and the Abbai, what's it going to be next month? The Second Coming?_ He watched the camera in the casino for a minute and saw that for once, there was no fighting going on. _Makes a change_, he thought sarcastically. His link went off and rolling his eyes, he pressed it, "Yeah, what is it now?" he said waspishly

"_Lt. Commander Corwin needs you in Docking Bay Nine. We've got an Abbai transport coming in."_ the voice of 2nd Lieutenant Janel Denton said.

"Tell him, I'm on my way." He said, tapping his link as the doors to the office opened. Standing there was Ambassador Folenn, the new Minbari Ambassador to the station. The man bowed low, making the Security Chief feel immediately uncomfortable. He never knew what made him so uncomfortable, but he was. "Can this wait, Ambassador? I've got to go somewhere."

"Yes I know." The gentle looking man from the Worker Caste responded, "An Abbai transport has arrived and I assume you are on your way to sort any trouble. May I walk with you?" the man asked gently with a small smile.

"Errr. Yeah, sure." Zack responded, unsure. The two men left the office and Folenn looked to the Security Chief, making him feel more uncomfortable,

"What do you expect the Yollu to do in regards to this latest group of Abbai refugees?" Folenn said, as though he was testing him.

"I expect they'll kick up a stink and demand they be turned over to their 'custody'. I'll refuse and after that, I don't know, Ambassador." Zack said.

Folenn nodded, "I have dealt with the Yollu before during my time with the Rangers and I have found them to be a most difficult species, like many others in the Interstellar Alliance. However the Yollu always believe they are right, even in the face of overwhealming evidence. You must learn to- as your people say- live with it." Zack smiled, the Minbari Ambassador almost reminded him of Lennier. He wondered for a moment where the young Minbari had gone after fleeing from Sheridan and Delenn. "Thanks for the advice, Ambassador. I'll keep it in mind." Zack said.

"If you wouldn't mind, I would like to come with you to see how your team reacts and if I can be of service, I will help." Folenn responded with a smile, "Of course it is up to you."

Zack smiled at Folenn and nodded, "There's another human saying- the more the merrier. I'd be glad for your help." Folenn smiled back and the two walked onwards to the docking bay where Zack knew, literally hundreds of problems were waiting for him.


End file.
